clear on what he wanted.
Endra looked at Rhys for help. The healer could only stare at his patient. Kian’s startling improvement had confounded him. “It’s impossible, he should be dead, maybe that unique body of his is fighting off the poison I don’t know, just get him the water.” Rhys helped Kian sit down and lean back against the wall of the gatehouse as Endra fetched the water. “You’re very weak, you should rest even if the poison isn’t killing you.”
Kian looked at the healer, there was agony on his face. Rhys had never seen anyone endure this kind of pain before. The healer wondered what coping with it was doing to the warrior’s mind. After his brother and the vivisectionist had their way with him, Kian had been close to insanity. This misery could not be good for the Half Elf’s fragile mind.
“There is no time to rest, Rhys. K’xarr said I’m needed. I will not fail him or any of you.”
“You don’t need to worry about any of that now. K’xarr and Sir Ivan have everything under control.”
“I will do my part, just get me on my feet.”
They gave him as much water as he could drink and he sat in the shade with his eyes closed. Endra put on his clothing and bracers. She handed Malice to him. Kian gazed at the blade and felt its edge. The sword seemed to bring him strength.
Late in the afternoon, he could stand on his own and he had stopped shaking. Rhys was not convinced he could walk, but K’xarr kept coaxing Kian on and telling him he was fine until Rhys could take no more of it.
“K’xarr, a word please.” Rhys said through gritted teeth.
“What is it?”
Rhys tried to contain his aggravation. “He can’t fight, he can barely stand. Somehow he his fighting off the poison, but he can’t go with you when the fighting starts, he will be killed. I don’t think he could even defend himself. I know you can see how weak he is, why do you keep egging him on?”
The general took Rhys by the arm and walked him far enough away from the gatehouse that he thought Kian couldn’t hear him. “I know what his condition is and it is unfortunate that he is weak and sick, but we must make Cain’s men think he is sound. He strikes fear in their hearts, it an advantage and I need every one I can get.
“Cain’s men have heard what happened in the south with Havalon and the Princes by now. I need that edge, we could still lose this war, Rhys, and the woman you love will die if that happens. Now you think about that and give Kian something that will keep him on his feet long enough to go out there. I will do my best to keep him away from any real fighting.”
Rhys looked away from the general. It was not in the healer’s nature, and it hurt his soul to help K’xarr use the sick man that way, but he loved Raygan more than his principles. K’xarr was harsh, but he was most likely right. If Cain took the city, he would kill his sister. Rhys knew he could never live with that. “I have something that will help a bit, but you have to promise when the real fighting starts you will keep him out of it. I will not have his death on my conscience. I mean it, K’xarr, keep him out of the battle.”
K’xarr clapped the surgeon on the shoulder. “I’ll do my best, you know that.”
***
Milara had told Cain and Duke Blackthorn the assassination attempt had failed. Neither the Prince nor the duke had taken news well, but both had kept their anger to themselves. It was the first time Zachariah had not completed a mission the Lord Justice had assigned him. The failure had a silver lining though.
The assassin told him he had killed an old rival of his that had been guarding the Queen. When Milara had asked for a description of the man, the Lord Justice realized his assassin had killed the creature. Zachariah had seemed confused when he had explained to the killer that he had mistaken the man’s identity. Milara didn’t care if the slow-witted Hand understood or not as far as he was concerned; it was more of a victory than killing the Queen. The half-breed was one of the reasons he had been sent here in the first place. The